WHAT IS A KETO DIET?
The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is a low-carb and high-fat diet. This diet involves reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This drastic reduction in carbohydrates leads our body into a metabolic state known as “KETOSIS’.
WHAT IS KETOSIS?
It is a metabolic state in which the body starts burning fat for energy to compensate for carbohydrates. We can say that in this diet body takes energy from fats instead f carbohydrates. During ketosis, fats are converted to ketones in the liver, which supplies energy to the brain.
ADVANTAGES OF THE KETO DIET:
1. WEIGHT LOSS
A Keto diet is an effective way to reduce weight and lower the risk of many diseases. It has been found that this diet may be as effective for weight loss as a low-fat diet. And the interesting thing is that this diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting calories.
2. HELPS IN DIABETES:
Diabetes is basically characterized by high blood sugar and impaired insulin function, A ketogenic diet leads to reduced blood glucose levels and improves insulin sensitivity,
Benefits of Keto Diet
1. HEART DISEASES
The ketogenic results in the loss of excessive fats which ultimately lowers cholesterol and HDL levels. This helps to maintain blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease.
2. PCOs:
POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOs) is One of the main characteristics of the keto diet is the reduction in insulin levels which plays a major role in PCOs. So ketogenic diet can also help to improve PCOs symptoms.
3. EPILEPSY:
The Ketogenic diet actually originated as a tool for treating neurological diseases like epilepsy. It has been found that the keto diet can significantly reduce the occurrence of seizures in epileptic children.
FOODS TO AVOID
In this diet, you have to avoid high-carb foods. Following is a list of foods that should be reduced in the keto diet:
- GRAINS
- ROOT VEGETABLES
- SUGARY FOODS AND DRINKS
- FRUITS
- SUGAR-FREE PRODUCTS
- BEANS
- LEGUMES
- ALCOHOL
- SAUCES
GRAINS: All kinds of grains and grains based products have to be reduced because they are rich in starch like rice, pasta, cereals, etc.
ROOT VEGETABLES: Root vegetables and tubers are as starch-rich so they must be avoided also as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc.
SUGARY FOODS AND DRINKS: Confectionary, candies, soda, and cold drinks al are sugar-rich products that should be eliminated.
FRUITS: Fruit intake should also be reduced as they are fructose-rich, except few berries.
SUGAR-FREE PRODUCTS: Sugar-free products like sweeteners, candies, and syrups should be eliminated too. Along with that beans, legumes low-fat products, alcohol, and sauces are also not included in this diet.
KETO FOODS TO EAT
- MEAT
- FISH
- EGGS
- BUTTER, CREAM, AND CHEESE
- NUTS AND SEEDS
- LOW-CARB VEGGIES
MEAT: Red meat, chicken, turkey, and steaks are advised to be eaten as they are protein and fat-rich.
FISH: Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and trout must also be included.
EGGS: Eggs are a great source of protein and omega 3 so they can be included.
BUTTER, CREAM, AND CHEESE: All these items are fat-rich so make these a part of your daily diet to get into ketosis. You can eat unprocessed cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, goat cheese, and blue cheese.
NUTS AND SEEDS: Almonds, peanuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, etc are an essential part of the keto diet because nuts are a rich source of healthy fats.
LOW-CARB VEGGIES: You can also eat low-carb veggies like green onions, tomatoes, pepper, etc.
SIDE EFFECTS OF THE KETO DIET
We all know that everything has good and bad effects, the same is the thing with the keto diet. Although the keto diet is generally safe for healthy people, but initially you might experience some side effects while your body adapts.
Generally, such effects are known as KETO FLU. The most common symptoms of Keto flu include the:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
Less common symptoms include:
- Low energy
- Sleep issues
- Digestive discomfort
HOW TO MANAGE KETO FLU
A few simple tips can help you to manage symptoms of Keto flu which are as follows:
- Don’t eliminate carbs immediately. Start with a low-carb regular diet and teach your body to burn fat before eliminating carbs completely.
- This diet can disturb the water and mineral balance of the body so adding extra salt or taking a mineral supplement may help.
- In the beginning, always try to eat until you are full and avoid restricting calories.
9 MISTAKES THAT YOU MIGHT BE MAKING IN THE KETOGENIC LIFESTYLE
If you are on a keto diet then you might be thinking, ‘Hmm, this is quite difficult, I wonder when I will get the results?’
And we totally agree with you because the keto diet is super restrictive, that’s why sometimes it’s difficult to get it right.
In the ketogenic diet, we have to limit carbohydrates and increase the intake of fats. This makes our body get into the state of ketoacidosis where our body starts to burn fat. You can get all the details of the ketogenic diet here. Now the fact is that fats are both healthy and unhealthy types plus carbohydrates are abundantly present in many food items. This is the reason that people make some common mistakes during their keto diet.
But no worries, just avoid following pitfalls to ensure that you are following the keto diet accurately.
1. NOT DRINKING ADEQUATE WATER
While focusing on what we eat, people usually neglect what we are drinking or it’s better to say that, whether we are drinking at all or not. Usually, in the keto diet, carbohydrates stores are depleted and along with it water also gets lost from the body. We know that ketones form in the body during a ketogenic diet, and these ketones are flushed out in the urine, depleting water and sodium. In short, the body goes through electrolyte imbalance which can lead to dehydration. So it is recommended to start the day with a full glass of water.
2. OVERCONSUMPTION OF PROTEIN
Protein is an essential macronutrient that must be consumed in adequate quantity. But sometimes overconsumption of protein hinders the keto diet. How? Let’s find out…
When there is excessive consumption of protein, a metabolic process gets started, known as GLUCONEOGENESIS. In this process, the body makes glucose from the protein, disrupting the process of ketosis and thus, compromising the whole purpose of the ketogenic lifestyle. So is important to focus on moderate but adequate protein intake.
3. MAKING SUDDEN DRASTIC CHANGES
Imagine being excited to start your ketogenic journey, but wait you realized that you have eaten cereals for breakfast, burgers for lunch, and pasta for dinner. So what? Now you are thinking to stop all the carbs at once from tomorrow and eat only fats.
If this situation is relatable to you, then you are making a big mistake because your body might not adapt to this sudden change. It is never advisable to start and stop something suddenly. The best practice is to taper down. This means that start decreasing your carbs intake and increasing your fat intake gradually day by day. This helps you to prevent many problems like digestive problems due to sudden fat intake, fatigue, and dizziness due to sudden halt of carbs intake.
4. FORGETTING ABOUT KETO FLU
Many people don’t know about keto flu and they are doing a ketogenic diet. It is very important to be well-informed about every aspect so basically, keto flu is a condition that the body experiences. It occurs due to the transition of the body from a carbs burner to a fats burner. The most common symptoms of keto flu are headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, GI disturbance, and sometimes a change in heartbeat. These symptoms usually appear within a few days of the beginning of the keto diet and get to peak in a week. But there is nothing to worry about because they diminish after 4 weeks. Also, it does not happen to everybody.
So if you are not having keto flu, don’t think that your diet is not working, it just doesn’t happens to some people. Now the fact is why it is important to know about keto flu. Well, mostly when people start to experience keto flu symptoms they think that it is something wrong with their body and they quit the ketogenic lifestyle. So it’s important to prepare yourself mentally before starting the keto diet as it will help you to be consistent and patient with your diet.
A few things can be done to ease keto flu symptoms like intake o food rich in sodium, potassium, and magnesium and adequate hydration. This helps to maintain the electrolyte balance of the body and eases keto flu symptoms.
5. AVOIDING GOOD FATS
Many of us get attracted to the keto diet due to fat supremacy and we think that we can enjoy cheese, cream cheese, and all other sources of fats. But this is actually a big mistake. We all know that we have good and bad fats and in the keto diet it must be ensured that we are eating good fats which are polyunsaturated fatty acids. The most essential part of the keto diet is OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS. It not only maintains our diet but also prevents many diseases, especially heart-related issues. This means that the keto diet must include tuna, sardines, etc.
If you are not a seafood person then don’t worry just go to the supermarket and stock up on avocado, olive oil, chia seeds, and flax seeds. These are all sources of good fats.
6. NOT TAKING ENOUGH SALT
As it is recommended to avoid processed foods and diet kits in the keto diet so you must be preparing your food all by yourself. In this case, you might not season it with salt adequately, and this might cause sodium deficiency in your body. Let’s see why…
In the keto diet, ketones form in our body which gets excreted with urine. Along with ketones sodium and water also leaves our body. Now there is no sodium, there is no processed food (which has high sodium content), and no proper seasoning of salt in our food, all this will create a deficiency of sodium. So to prevent it make sure to season your food properly and ensure intake of veggies that are sodium rich.
7. NOT MONITORING CARBOHYDRATES INTAKE
Many people think that they have reduced their carbohydrate consumption by avoiding pasta, bread, and other carbohydrate sources. But what they don’t know is that there are many sneaky sources of carbohydrates. Eating these food items can increase the carbs intake more than the recommended quantity i.e. less than 50 grams a day. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to labels especially when buying condiments, sauces, and certain vegetables. Internet and different app are also very useful in this regard as they can accurately indicate the 33number of carbs in different foods.
8. NOT PREPARING YOUR MEAL PLAN
One of the most important things to get results from any diet is to be consistent and for consistency always remember to prepare yourself beforehand. Start your keto diet by planning meals as per the standard, creating a shopping list, and then stocking up on all the food items that are required to prepare those meals. This practice will help you to avoid unnecessary junk food when you are hungry because you will know that you have prepared a meal schedule and have to eat according to it.
9. NEGLECTING SLEEP AND STRESS MANAGEMENT
If someone is on the keto diet and is stressed about results and weight loss, then might be all your efforts go in vain. Inadequate sleep and chronic stress disturb the hormonal balance and increase craving which ultimately disrupts the weight loss journey even sometimes instead of losing weight you may gain weight. Therefore prioritize your sleep and have a proper schedule for it. Also manage your stress with different techniques like meditation, exercises, reading, or doing anything that you like. Support yourself and your keto journey to make it successful.
Now if you are one of those who are making the common mistakes then don’t think that you have not succeeded. Just start your keto journey again with a few amendments and Voila! Results will be on the way.
Also, always remember to be consistent don’t get impatient be sure, trust yourself, put all your efforts, and wait for the results.
CONCLUSION
The Keto diet is a low-carb and high-fat diet, proven to reduce weight without counting calories. There are many health benefits of this diet but there are also some side effects also which should be considered too. It is always better to consult with your doctor before starting any diet if you are on medication or have any prior health issues.
You can follow us to have a look at sample meal plans which will help you to design your own.
